


Measuring His Affections by My Own

by Highsmith (quimtessence)



Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Regency, Chocolate Box 2016, Courtship, Language Barrier, M/M, Period-Typical Homophobia, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-11
Updated: 2017-02-11
Packaged: 2018-09-23 12:55:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 872
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9658301
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/quimtessence/pseuds/Highsmith
Summary: On the day appointed for the visit Captain Sidney Crosby of Cole Harbour Hall alighted from the carriage to faint murmurs in a foreign tongue coming from inside Metallurg Manor.A scene from a courtship.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [fallencrest](https://archiveofourown.org/users/fallencrest/gifts).



> Unfortunately, I didn't get to have the necessary time to properly stalk your likes and dislikes (which I promise I would have done in a non-creepy, totally legit way, for realsies). Basically, this ended up being shameless (and extremely self-indulgent) fluff, but your letter indicated you'd be sort of into that, so. Yeah. *flails arms encouragingly*
> 
> (All my Regency intelligence has gone out the window, probably. I'm sorry. Take everything with a grain of salt?!)
> 
> Title from _Romeo and Juliet_. Because _of course_. *bangs head against desk*

On the day appointed for the visit Captain Sidney Crosby of Cole Harbour Hall alighted from the carriage to faint murmurs in a foreign tongue coming from inside Metallurg Manor. He had not been aware upon accepting the invitation of his host that he would not be the sole guest that fine spring day.

His chaise and four had secured his passage during his late-morning and now early-afternoon visits to the immensely accommodating citizens of Lower Pittsburgh-on-the-Ave. His recent return to what had been his family's homestead had made it necessary to reacquaint himself with the residents before embarking on the peaceful and unintrusive existence he had heretofore eagerly anticipated. Captain Crosby felt his cheeks pinken at the mere thought of his own eagerness, yet could hardly feel shame after years of restless service in the Colonies.

The final visit was to be with a certain Captain Evgeni Malkin, a former military man such as himself, residing in the hitherto delapidated Metallurg Manor. Sidney had not been able to accumulate the necessary intelligence regarding the man and his habits; however, Malkin had sent his stewart to inquire whether a formal introduction could be arranged in order to greet his newly-arrived neighbour, as Metallurg Manor and Cole Harbour Hall were adjacent properties. Sidney had fully intended to extend an invitation himself, yet it seemed Captain Malkin had taken much more initiative than the rest of the citizens of Pittsburgh-on-the-Ave.

For the duration of Sidney's childhood, Metallurg Manor had stood ominous and on the brink of complete ruin. It seemed that in the intervening years wherein Sidney had been conducting his affairs abroad the Manor had been restored to its former glory, harking back to the days when itself and Sidney's own Cole Harbour stood at the most imposing and affluent homesteads for miles around. Clearly the good captain had made of the Manor his home with all the comforts required.

The voices were becoming louder as Sidney made his way to the entrance of the Manor, which did not mean that they were moreover easier to comprehend. Sidney had an inkling that the language being spoken was Russian according to the limited knowledge of the idiom he had from his days of service in the Russian Empire.

He was swiftly greeted by the man's stewart and silently ushered into what he assumed would be the parlour. However, he found himself in a gloriously effervescent study: rish tapestries flanked bookshelves full to bursting with calf-covered volumes, imposing mahogany furniture populated the floorspace and sunlight burst unobstructed through the immense French windows. In the middle of the room two men stood talking in what Sidney was growing certain was Russian.

They turned to him with very different expressions: one sly, while the other tended towards considering. The stewart introduced him to the room at large and the two men greeted him in formal English with mild Russian accents.

After the greetings were over and done with, the sly one, who had introduced himself as Captain Alexander Ovechkin, despite his lack of military garb, turned to their host and spoke in rapid Russian. His words evidently embarrassed Captain Malkin, but Sidney had little time to observe further as Ovechkin excused himself in fluent English and bid his farewells.

Being left alone with his host didn't engender the reaction Sidney anticipated. He has expected polite interest -- after all, they had both been in service -- and perhaps an underlying current of boredom. Instead, he found the look in Malkin's clever eyes to be both warm and vaguely interested, which caused Sidney's own interest to be piqued, as well as lead to the emergence of a faint embarrassed blush.

"I'm make invitation to meet famous Captain Sidney Crosby," were the first words uttered once in private, much to Sidney's surprise and embarrassment.

"I may be many things, Captain Malkin, but I am hardly famous." Sidney wondered whether the good captain had confused the words famous and infamous, then decided to forgo that train of thought.

"I was delighted to hear from you and gladly accepted your invitation today. I had of course planned to extend my own invitation. You may have heard I have returned permanently to my childhood home. As we are to be neighbours for the foreseeable future, I would be delighted to further our acquintanship..." Sidney trailed off awkwardly. Captain Malkin's eyes had adopted a mischievous twinkle during Sidney's awkward diatribe.

During his service, Sidney had encountered a facsimile of the look currently directed at him. While a certain wave of discomfort was inevitable given the gravity of what the look entailed, Sidney found himself far more receptive to the twinkle than in previous interactions with other officers and servicemen. The risk was unimaginable, yet the warmth in Captain Malkin's eyes was very real, a constant and a comfort against Sidney's own doubts.

"Please that you call me Geno," Malkin said with a sort of confidence that Sidney found both charming and conforting. He was not sole in this situation, not afloat in a sea of danger as he had been before.

Sidney smiled his most hesitant smile, though it was also his most genuine. He received in return one far more brilliant, yet equally sincere.


End file.
